Although he wanted to bring up what she’d witnessed earlier, Magnus held back. He figured when she was ready to discuss it, she would bring it up. Until then, he would settle for knowing she was safe in his arms.
Chapter Five
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Want to grab a beer after work? Figured we could catch up.
Trey responded to the text from Brantley with:Fuck yes. But you’re buying.
When do I not? See you there around six.
Trey shot his brother a confirmation, then headed up to the front office. Covering the front was usually Billy’s job on Wednesdays since they were Gia’s day off, but he had called out sick this morning. Magnus had asked Trey to cover since he was leading one of the SAR training classes. Trey didn’t mind because it required more effort to stay awake than anything else. It did give him time to spend with Sarge and Aurora. Magnus had taken Adira with him to the training site, leaving the other two Labrador retrievers behind.
“Lazy bums,” he greeted with a smile when he found them camped out on their beds in the corner.
Sarge lifted his head, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as soon as he noticed him. Trey’s grin grew wider. He hadn’t paid much attention to how attached he’d gotten to the dogs. He was going to miss seeing their smiling faces every day.
Maybe he should consider getting a dog of his own.
No sooner did the thought process than he shrugged it off. He had no idea what he’d be doing after Friday, so the last thing he needed was someone depending on him. Hell, he hadn’t even made an effort to find another job and wasn’t looking forward to the task. Thankfully, he had enough in savings to last him a while. Probably six months if he was frugal. Not that he intended to sit on his ass that long, but he didn’t want to jump into anything too quickly. He figured he’d take some time to focus on the important things. If he was lucky, once he did that, he’d see whatever path he was supposed to follow. And if not, there was always security work he could fall back on.
He caught movement out the window and leaned over, watching as Ava stepped out of Magnus’s house, taking the path toward the Camp K-9 office.
Shit.
Trey considered making a break for it but held his ground. The least he deserved was to endure a scolding if she wanted to bring up what had happened on Monday night. He hated himself for not thinking that one through before he let his emotions get the best of him. Fucking Magnus so ruthlessly hadn’t been on his agenda, but like plenty of other times, his need for the man had won out. But it was done, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
“Hey,” Ava greeted as she opened the door, a smile on her pretty face, her brilliant blue eyes practically glowing.
She looked good. Really good, actually. Her blonde hair was slowly growing in, and it was now long enough she could style it with whatever product made it look naturally tousled and cute. He remembered she called it a pixie cut or some shit. With the little diamond studs in her ears, she looked closer to eighteen than twenty-five, which she would turn in a couple of weeks. She was wearing a black tank top that hugged her breasts and midsection and showed off her shoulders and arms. A pair of tiny white shorts made her legs look tanner than they were and lovingly showcased her ass, while a pair of white tennis shoes was just begging to get scuffed with dirt.
No doubt about it, she was a beautiful woman. Even a gay man could admit that. And while Trey didn’t usually admire a woman past her natural beauty, this wasn’t the first time he found his gaze lingering longer than normal. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something about Ava that drew him toward her.
He forced a smile. “If you’re lookin’ for Magnus, he’s off-site.”
Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled as she peered up at him. “Actually, I was looking for you.”
Trey swallowed, his smile faltering. “Well, you found me.”
“I did.” She came around the counter to join him, pulling up the second stool and taking a seat with only a foot or so between them.
Trey glanced over when she rested her arms on the countertop. Her fingers tapped against the linoleum countertop, drumming rhythmically.
“What’s on your mind?” he prompted when the silence began to choke him.
“I’m working.”
He chuckled, and his mood lightened. “Oh, really? This your new job?”
“I’m hoping so.” She stared over at him. “After all, I did call Dr. Briggs. I’ve got my first appointment on Tuesday.”
“Good girl,” he said, praising her for making that leap. “I’m proud of you.”
Her eyes twinkled as her smile grew wider, revealing pearly-white teeth, and he realized what he’d said. From the very first time he met Ava—here in this very office, sporting a black eye and a split lip after she’d managed to escape the clutches of her abusive husband—Trey had felt protective of her. That had grown tenfold during the course of her recovery, and the more time he spent with her, watching her come into her own once again, the more he found he not only wanted to protect her but he genuinely liked her. Trey wasn’t sure what he felt for her could ever be considered a physical attraction, but he certainly didn’t see her as a sister.
“I was hoping you would drive me.”
“I … uh…” He swallowed past the lump in his throat and averted his gaze. “I won’t be workin’ here then.”
